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After Rehabilitation: Here Are Some Tools

After Rehabilitation: Here Are Some Tools

Seeking help for alcohol or drug dependency at a residential recovery unit is the first step toward beating addiction. And regaining control of your life. Recovering people can use the tools they learned in rehab to avoid relapse.

Patients can continue to use this support system after leaving the recovery unit to learn how to deal with daily stresses without drugs or alcohol.

Below are some tips on how to continue with treatment and avoid relapse after leaving a recovery unit.

Maintain stability

If you're recovering from addiction, keep your life and routine as stable as possible. You shouldn't make important life changes when you return home from a recovery unit.

It is also best to avoid places and social gatherings connected to your past drinking or drug use. These can serve set off a relapse.

Seek support

Join a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous that fits your needs.

You can get information on these support groups from your treatment center, the Internet, or your local library. They are widely available throughout the country. Studies have shown that people who attend support meetings regularly avoid relapse and continue with recovery. You should also consider seeking a sponsor. The best sponsor is someone who understands the recovery process and is a member of a 12-step program. A sponsor serves as a mentor and coach and also gives free emotional support.

Take timeouts

Consider introducing meditation into your daily routine. Meditation is 1 step of the 12 steps in the alcohol recovery program of AA.

Through meditation, you can look at yourself and determine what is important to you. Use these periods to assist you in checking your needs and learning not to misread feelings of loneliness, anger, or even hunger as an urge to drink or use drugs.